(LifeScript Health News) Want a blinding smile? If you use UV whitening treatments, you could be at risk for burning gums, cataracts and more. A study published in the journal Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences found that people who undergo ultraviolet teeth bleaching are exposed to four times the amount of radiation you get from an afternoon of sunbathing.

During such procedures, the eyes and skin are not protected enough to prevent damage. And repeated exposure can result in cataracts and other abnormal eye growths.

UV light is believed to accelerate the bleaching by enhancing the effects of peroxide. But the same study found that UV-assisted bleaching is no more effective than non-light-activated procedures.